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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rest · trunk · racket · firm · roll · march · fall · vault

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. roll — a list
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. firm — a company
  7. rest — a break
  8. march — the month
  9. fall — the season
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. rest — what's left
  12. march — music
  13. march — the month
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. firm — steady
  17. fall — to drop
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. fall — to drop
  20. roll — a cake
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. vault — a safe
  24. rest — what's left

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com